Overview of Virtual Classroom and Chat | Setting Up a Virtual Classroom or Chat Session | Hosting a Session | Virtual Classroom Features | Chat Session Features
Overview of Virtual Classroom and Chat
The Collaboration Tools of Virtual Classroom and Chat allow the instructor and students to participate in real-time lessons and discussions. Unlike the discussion boards, which are asynchronous, these real-time discussions happen when students are all online at the same time.
Note: Many students taking online courses are not in the same time zone, making real-time conversation difficult. It is a good idea to make virtual classroom or chat sessions optional or limit the required participation to a few times per quarter. One suggestion is to use these sessions in place of face-to-face office hours. This allows students to participate if they have questions.
Description of Chat Sessions
Chat sessions allow instructors and students to participate in real-time lessons and discussions. These sessions are text based. Chat sessions may be archived for future review.
Description of Virtual Classroom Sessions
The Virtual Classroom also allows participants to interact with each other and instructors in real-time discussion. However, the Virtual Classroom contains additional tools for participants to use, including a Whiteboard on which to a) post content, b) open Web pages, and c) use drawing tools. Virtual Classroom sessions may be archived for future review.
Setting Up a Virtual Classroom or Chat Session
- Log into your course site.
- Click the Control Panel.
- Under Course Tools, click Collaboration.
- Click the Add Collaboration Session button.
- Type a name for the session.
Note: It is a good idea to name the session with relation to the topic you intend to discuss.
- Under the Schedule Availability section, you may choose to set a date
restriction for participation in the session.
- Under the Collaboration Tool section, you may choose either Chat
or Virtual Classroom.
- When you’ve chosen the appropriate tool for your session, click the Submit button.
- Log into your course site.
- Click the Communication link.
- Click the Collaboration link.
- Locate the session that you are scheduled to participate in. The title
will be under Session Name. To enter, click the Join
button to the right of the listed session.
Once you click Join, the session window should open within a few moments.
Note: A Java Plug-in is required for the Virtual Classroom and Chat feature to run properly. If you do not have the Java Plug-in installed on your computer, it should begin downloading and installing automatically, prompting you to accept the installation. Download time will vary by connection speed. There is a link to download the Java Plug-in on the next screen if the download process does not occur automatically.
Also, please note that if you have enabled your browser’s pop-up blocker, it may interfere with the opening of your session. Please disable your pop-up blocker until the session is complete.
You have 2 options for composing messages.
First, you can click the Compose button which launches a new window in which text maybe typed.
Second, to the right of the Compose button you will see a text box in which you can type your message.
The Private Message option to the left of the Compose button allows you
to send a message to one or more specific participants, but not the class
as a whole.
Across the top of your Virtual Classroom session, you will see the following options:
The View option allows you to divide up your conversation. It enables you to see all the private messages in a separate pane from the general conversation.
The Controls option allows you to select who may participate in which function and end a session. Please note that if you change the settings for a session and later want to return to that session, the settings will return to the default position. You must modify the settings each time you access the session.
The Clear option allows you to clear the conversation from the Discussion box. You can either clear the conversation from your screen only or from the screens of all participants.
The End option allows you to end the session and close the session box for all users. It is a good idea to inform students ahead of performing this function.
The Breakout option allows you to invite another person or persons to join you in a separate Virtual Classroom session.
In the upper right corner of your session box, you’ll see 4 icons.
These are the tools for archiving the discussion. The first
3 buttons are Start, Pause and Stop. This allows instructors to control
what is recorded. The last button is the Bookmark button and can only
be used while the discussion is being archived. By pushing this button,
you have the option of inserting a tag of your choice. It is generally
used for reference purposes.
In the top left corner, you will see the following Virtual Classroom tools:
Course Map
Enables participants to browse the course content while they are in a Virtual
Classroom session.
Whiteboard
Enables participants to present information during a Virtual Classroom session
as they would on a whiteboard in a face-to-face classroom, including drawing
images, writing text, and presenting equations.
Group Browser
Enables participants to collaboratively browse the Web during a Virtual
Classroom session.
Ask Question
Enables participants to ask questions during a Virtual Classroom session.
Question Inbox
Stores all questions from participants from the Ask Question tool.
At the bottom left of the session box, you will see 3 columns: Participants, Role, and Raised Hand.
In the Participants column, you will see a list of all of the participants in the session.
Next to each name, you will see an icon in the Role column. The Globe indicates the group moderator, who is generally the instructor. A face indicates a participant or student.
The Raised Hand column allows the instructor to moderate how students participate in the discussion. This is useful in managing how many students contribute at one time.
Chat sessions have many of the same features as the Virtual Classroom, with the exception of the Whiteboard and Tools areas. Also, unlike the Virtual Classroom, if you try to navigate other portions of the SPU Blackboard system while you are in a Chat session, the session window will close.